Teach Your Child To React When Other Children Hit Him

Do you want to know some tips to teach your child to react to the aggressiveness and violence of other children? Go ahead!

There is no situation that generates more sadness and helplessness for a mother than when a son comes home from school complaining that other children hit him. Surely you are worried and outraged that your child is a victim of such attacks and you wonder how to teach him to react to these attacks.

Some kids tend to miss a pinch, kick, bite, slap or some other aggressive behavior, either accidentally or systematically, in various areas of their lives such as school, the park, the vacation colony, etc.

Now, that the child knows how to react when other children hit him is the responsibility of the parents, who must know the most effective ways to eradicate this type of violent behavior against their children and effectively control these unfortunately so common situations.

Tips for parents to avoid raising a violent child

There are a series of guidelines that every parent can apply from the time their child is small in order to prevent aggressive behavior in children, as well as prepare the child to react to certain situations, for example, when another child hits them.

• As we always insist, parents should lead by example since children suck what they see at home. Therefore, parents should avoid hitting the child, otherwise he will incorporate this aggression or physical punishment into his survival resources.
• Another tip for parents not to instill aggressive behavior in their children is to educate minors that they cause harm to the people involved. You can use grimaces of pain or anger but always explaining and exposing the feelings of the boy who has been bullied.
• When other children hit your child, do not give in, that is, if what the little aggressor was looking for was the toy or the swing that your child used, you should not give it to him since that way you transmit a positive message to both minors regarding violence: hitting you get what they want.
• Never advise the boy to respond to violence with more violence, do not pay the law of the Taleon or the strongest.
• The “time out” technique in which you punish the bullying child in a corner for several minutes can be effective if your child has made such a mistake.

• When your child is the one who hit his partner, accidentally or intentionally, it is necessary to teach him to assume the error and apologize, a very important learning from an early age. Meanwhile, the victim must be cared for, but without reinforcing his image of vulnerability capable of identifying him in the role of victim.

How to teach him to react when other children hit him?

• Listens. Before getting angry, listen carefully to the little one to know where and when the friction occurs and who participates in these events. Find out if it is a personal situation between a group of boys or a bullying environment in which the aggressor and his audience harass a single victim.
• Question. Do not seek blame or do a police questioning, just try to know the context and environment of your child if other children hit him.

• Set limits with your presence. Help your child communicate so that he can mediate and resolve the conflict himself. But always handle yourself with impartiality, looking for fair solutions and agreeing with the party that has it.
• Offer him words to express himself. It is essential to provide your child with various terms capable of identifying and putting into words their own feelings in order to analyze these circumstances. It is that being able to articulate what happens inside is the first step in being assertive.
• Consult your child for possible solutions. “What do you think you should do to solve this situation?” it can be a good trigger to reflect together on the problem and seek to resolve the conflict, much better even than urging him to “split his head” when other children hit him. You will see that on many occasions you can be surprised by the response of your little one.

Other tips to teach your child to react to aggression

• Show him the different options by experimenting. Give him a space to think and practice solutions so that he does not lose control of this scourge. Give him the various ways out that he can have before the conflict with his friend and they can even apply the role-playing technique.
• Promote verbal communication. It is not necessary to hit the blows, but it is enough to use the tongue. Help your child set limits and make himself respected by speaking even when he is confused.
• In a fight, separate the children immediately. Put a stop to the situation with firmness and determination, but without abruptness, avoiding shouting and insults.
• Trust your son. If other kids hit him and he comes over to tell you about his frustrations after what happened, give him your vote of confidence by making him feel strong. Let him know that he will always have your unconditional support, although he can decide how to solve his problem, either with words, in complicity with his friends or with the help of authority. If he seeks to curb his difficulties himself, he will strengthen his self-esteem and his ability to face challenges.

• Promote assertiveness as a way of reacting to aggression. This alternative implies defending rights clearly, firmly and safely without attacking the other.